"Laid" is the title song from Manchester alternative rock band James' 1993 album Laid. Emotionally evocative and featuring the risqué lyrics "This bed is on fire with passionate love, the neighbours complain about the noises above, but she only comes when she's on top", it quickly gained popularity on American college radio and remains the group's best known song in that country. Because of the lyrics, the music video of the song replaced the infamous line with "she only sings when she's on top" (although Tim Booth clearly lip-syncs the original line, and is accompanied by a subtitle reading "hums", possibly an oblique reference to the edit).[citation needed] Today, a number of alternative rock stations, including Boston's WBOS and WFNX, will play "Laid" with the original controversial line.
While the song did chart on the Billboard Hot 100, its initial peak was #61. It made it on to the chart thanks to its cult status as a popular college song, which is what helped it to peak at #3 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. The song was much more successful in the band's native United Kingdom, where it peaked at #24, becoming another Top 40 hit for the band.
[edit] In popular culture
In recent years the song gained some additional exposure and popularity when it was used in the marketing for the American Pie series of comedy films, with a cover by Matt Nathanson featuring on the third, fourth, and eighth installment's soundtracks. When performed by Matt Nathanson live he often creates a lot of banter over the vocals after the second verse, where he encourages the audience to sing along with him, which often proves to be a big hit. The seventh installment in the franchise, The Book Of Love, contains a new cover of "Laid" by singer Aidan Hawken. (As of March 2010, it still has yet to be released on any album or as a single.)
"Laid" was also covered by New Orleans alt-rock band Better Than Ezra on their greatest hits compilation.
It has also been covered by the Butch Walker-led band 1969. It is a hidden track on their album Maya.
[edit] Charts
| Chart (1993-1994) |
Peak
position |
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart[1] |
40 |
| U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks |
3 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 |
61 |
| UK Singles Chart |
25 |
[edit] References
- ^ australian-charts.com - James - Laid
